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All New Zealand's rugby unions looking to record modest profits

James Mortimer 16 Dec 2013 Getty Images

New Zealand Rugby Chief Executive Steve Tew has cautiously revealed that the 26 unions are tracking towards small profits, rather than losses than have been suffered by some unions in recent years due to challening economic conditions.

The unions, a combination of ITM Cup Premiership and Championship teams, as well as the Pink Batts Heartland Championship sides, showed solid results after the third quarter, and Tew said that while nothing had been confirmed, he did say the game was looking more comfortable.

“Normally at this point they're reasonably accurate because they've got through the biggest part of their activity,” Tew said.

He did say the unions were still some way off from submitting final results.

“They are only projections,” he said.

“No one yet has closed their accounts off.”

The Provincial Unions have, through a combination of savvy marketing and recruitment, as well as growing numbers via season memberships and other initiatives, been able to turn around their results.

Tew said it would be a great outcome.

“If that comes to fruition then all 26 will make a profit of some size or another in 2013,” Tew said.

The results are especially positive after a difficult environment for the Provincial Unions, but measures, including reductions in the salary cap and hence player payments, were having the desired effects.

"At the end of the third quarter all 26 provincial unions are looking at a modest or better profit,” Tew said.

“So we should have no unions losing money in 2013.”

Tew also guardedly predicted that New Zealand Rugby would surpass the budgeted $800,000 (NZD) profit predicted for the financial year.